Wichita eagle., 1887-06-08
THE SUCKERS LAMENT.
Confession of a Sucker Who Was Roped in
Most Beautifully by Railroad
Magnate.

And again the suckers are raising up their
voices from certain section and are u iited
in vigorous howl The trick seems to have
been worked successfully and many were
they who thought the had snap, but it
proved something not commonly known by
that name. A gentleman who stands IN the
| fir ont ranks Of the howlers told his story yes
terday. It dates back several months, but
from that fact it is not robbed of its interest.
1t seems that some months ago very
prominent railroad magnate-or claimed to
be such-arrived in this city. He represent
cd the Pennsylvania Central; wore regula-
tion magnate silk hat, looked very wise and
told little and hinted much. He seems to
have carefully picked his victims. With
them alone he gave out his hints, and with
them alone he got in his work.
He claimed to be the representative of the
company on western lookout tour. His
road was booked for the great southwest and
strange as it may seem was looking for a
depot site, and what seeDs still more redicu-
lous he was believed by those to whom he
disclosed his scheme. He finally selected
site. AS it happened not one Of those whom
he had taken into bis confidence owned prop
erty near tie proposed depot site. OF course
he suggested to them that they could stumble
into barrel of money by taking in ali the
property in that locality. The suggestion
was well taken and the confidential gang
went pelI nell after the property. Of course
it will be presumed that the owners knew
nothing of the railroad scheme. They gave
up their property at popular prices" A
large amount of it went that way.
When they had bought their property, as
much as bank account would allow, the
great magnate returned east-he claimed-to
look after the very important scheme. He
left his address with number of his conf
Dental friends and asked them to write
him developments and he would respond.
Many of them have written to him but no
answer received 1t is now thought that
probably there has been no more develop
ments and as far as he is concerned there will
be no more developments.
The caught sucker stated yesterday that
he could now see through the whole scheme.
The fellows owning the property had sent
for the great magntae to come here and do
exactly what he did. They had probably |
given him a good per cent OF sales for
his work. He had done it cute, and probably |
made as big a stake as did those who owned |
the property.
The gentleman seemed 10 be surprised that |
be had been such fool as to be taken in by |
such clear water scheme. He claims that |
be was excited at the time, and if some
shark had come here claiming that they were
going to run boat line from New York city |
ne probably would have helped secure suit
able wharf, and bought up as much adjoin-
ng property as his money would allow.
What suckers these mortals be-"
was one of his favorite sentences. He said
ne could see the fel ows who had worked the
scheme ripping their coats laughing at them,
and at times he would become angry over
he situation, then he would look at it phi
and say they ought to have been
lone up worse than they were. The few who
heard his story seemed to enjoy it hugely,
and were surprised that such a scheme
worked so successfully. It was finally con-
,eded that the railroad magnate was the
most successful real estate agent of modern
lines.